When your loved one can no longer live safely on their own, trusting a nursing home for care is not easy. Choosing the right nursing home is an important decision to ensure your loved one is treated with utmost care, dignity, and respect. When visiting a potential nursing home, there are a few factors to take into consideration. We, at MacGillis Law Group, LLC, have compiled some factors you should consider, questions you should ask, and other aspects to help you choose the right facility for your loved one.
What Question to Ask When Visiting a Milwaukee Nursing Home?
At MacGillis Law Group, LLC, our Milwaukee nursing home abuse lawyer has, over the years, represented many families whose loved ones have experienced abuse in nursing home facilities. So, when you and your family take facility tours, asking important questions reveals a lot of information about assisted living and the type of care you can expect for your loved one.
- What type of food is prepared and served?
The taste and quality of food served to the elderly are important factors to consider. Inspect the cafeteria and talk to the staff about the meals so you know your loved one is well taken care of. - How many nursing staff are available at night?
One of the main issues in nursing homes is understaffing. It is important to check whether the facility has adequate staff during overnight shifts, so that when an emergency occurs, there is sufficient staff to cater to elderly residents. - What if my loved one wants to sleep in or skip an activity?
This depends on whether the facility follows a strict schedule for residents’ wishes. A balance of both is the key to maintaining quality of life and dignity. - What is the protocol if a resident falls?
Even with the best care, fall accidents can still happen. Asking the staff about their ability to handle an emergency, how they monitor, document, and what safety changes the staff has made, such as using a chair alarm or lowering the bed to prevent future accidents.
How to Find a Milwaukee Nursing Home’s Safety Record & Violations?
When investing in a nursing home’s safety records, official sources that maintain regulatory compliance and quality issues are considered. One can check with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that maintains the records of violations. The Federal Medicare nursing home website offers reliable quality of care standards and allows users to compare various assisted living facilities.
Also, look into compliance investigations that state detailed reports of accidents and violations, indicating how a facility reacts to an accident. Check cases of serious harm, and what course of action the facility has taken.
What Rights Does A Resident Have in a Wisconsin Nursing Home?
When you entrust your loved one to a nursing home, it is important to know about the legal rights of residents in Wisconsin.
- Quality of Life & Dignity: Ensuring respect, dignity, free from discrimination or abuse & highest quality of life.
- Privacy: The right to the protection of personal space, medical information & communication with family & loved ones.
- Finance: Management of personal finances without the facility’s interference.
- Visitation: Freewill to receive visitors at a reasonable time without restrictions.
- Communication: Ability to access telephonic and mail services.
- Complaint: The right to address concerns without fear.
- Transfer Protection: In case of transfer, the right to advance notice and reasonable justification.
- Representation: The right to appoint someone to act on the resident’s behalf.
Trust MacGillis Law Group, LLC to Protect Your Loved One
At MacGillis Law Group, LLC, our Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyers are committed to making a difference in elder care in nursing homes. If your loved one has experienced nursing home abuse in Wisconsin, we are here to fight for your justice. Call us to discuss your case. Let us protect you.